Alabama

Even powerful not immune from accidents

Maybe this is not the time of year to be an Alabama public official out for a ride.

Guy Busby

A week ago, former Gov. Bob Riley was injured laying down his motorcycle while on a road trip in Alaska. That same Sunday, back in Alabama, Roy Moore, former state Supreme Court chief justice and gubernatorial candidate, fell from a horse while riding in Gadsden.

The injuries came two weeks before the 191st anniversary of the result of another riding accident that played a role in the early history of Alabama.

On July 10, 1820, Alabama’s first governor, William Wyatt Bibb, died in office after falling from his horse.

Before moving to what would become Alabama, Bibb served four years in the Georgia Legislature, six years in the U.S. House of Representatives and one term in the Senate.

Alabama's first governor, William Wyatt Bibb, died in 1820 after falling from a horse. (Alabama State Archive image)

He was defeated in his bid for a second term in the Senate after he committed the unpopular action of supporting a congressional pay raise, according to the Encyclopedia of Alabama. With his political career in disarray in Georgia, he moved west into what was then part of the Mississippi Territory.

When Mississippi became a state in 1817, the eastern part of the territory became the Alabama Territory. Through some of his federal connections, Bibb was appointed territorial governor. When Alabama became a state, Bibb was elected the first governor in 1819.

Already ill with tuberculosis, however, Bibb injured his head and kidneys in the fall and died before completing the first term of his revived political career and three months before his 39th birthday.

While the injuries to Riley and Moore are, no doubt, painful, the two are expected to make full recoveries. As someone who has watched family members endure injuries from accidents on both motorcycles and horses, I would not want to make light of that pain or the concerns of loved ones after learning that someone had been hurt.

Former Gov. Bob Riley was injured June 26 in a motorcycle accident in Alaska. (file photo)

The incidents are reminders, however, that even the famous and powerful are not immune to mishaps. Incumbent, former and potential governors can take a spill.

Even without the current and past incidents, an Independence Day weekend might be a good time to realize the potential for accidents.

This is a time for fireworks, heat and heavy traffic. Add in the fact that some people’s holidays will also involve boats, alcohol, swimming and other activities with a potential for risk.

The woods and fields are still dry at a time when some people will be out grilling, making campfires and tossing cigarettes.

While most of us are careful, it is a time with the potential for accidents, no matter what precautions we take.

As our current and former leaders have demonstrated, none of us is beyond misfortune. Accidents can happen to anyone.

Guy Busby is a reporter for the Baldwin Register. He can be reached at 251-219-5490 or gbusby@press-register.com.

Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore was injured June 26 after falling from a horse. (file photo)